Sunday, October 23, 2016

Common decency and civility

But we need to get better at finding ways to disagree on matters of policy while agreeing on questions of decency and civility. How we talk to each other, treat each other, respect each other. - Hillary Clinton

There is a political tradition in America, where both presidential candidates share a stage together for the last time before the election. It is at the white-tie only Al Smith Dinner to raise fund for charity and hosted by the Archbishop of New York.

It is a lighted-hearted event, where both candidates would traditionally give humorous roast speeches to poke fun at themselves and their opponents. This year it featured Hillary and Trump.

Some say, Hillary had her unsavory moments too and had acknowledged and apologised for it. Nevertheless, her final words are profound and worthy for us, Malaysians to ponder, reflect and emulate.

A little bit about Al Smith in his memory the dinner was held.

It started in 1945 after the death of Alfred Smith, a four time
Governor of New York (1919-28, 1923-28) and Democratic presidential
candidate cum first Catholic candidate in 1928.

The man
described as progressive reformer lost to Herbert Hoover and the reason was said to be 3P - Prohibition, Prejudice and Prosperity.

A repeat must be avoided as there are similarities to our experience in Malaysia. [Read about it in Wikipedia here.]

Hillary paid tribute to the first Al:

In the end what makes this dinner important are not the jokes we tell but the legacy that we carry forward. It is often easy to forget how far this country has come.

And there are a lot of people in this room tonight who themselves, or their parents or grandparents, came here as immigrants, made a life for yourselves, took advantage of the American dream and the greatest system that has ever been created in the history of the world to unleash the individual talents and energy and ambition of everyone willing to work hard.

And when I think about what Al Smith went through it’s important to just reflect how groundbreaking it was for him, a Catholic, to be my party’s nominee for president. Don’t forget – school boards sent home letters with children saying that if Al Smith is elected president you will not be allowed to have or read a Bible. Voters were told that he would annul Protestant marriages.

And I saw a story recently that said people even claimed the Holland Tunnel was a secret passageway to connect Rome and America, to help the Pope rule our country.

Those appeals, appeals to fear and division, can cause us to treat each other as the Other. Rhetoric like that makes it harder for us to see each other, to respect each other, to listen to each other. And certainly a lot harder to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The message for us Malaysians; Muslim or Christians, irrespective of faith and party leaning, to ponder: ﻿

I believe how we treat others is the highest expression of faith and of service. I’m not Catholic. I’m a Methodist, but one of the things that we share is the belief that in order to achieve salvation we need both faith and good works. And you certainly don’t need to be Catholic to be inspired by the humility and heart of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Or to embrace his message.His message about rejecting a mindset of hostility, his calls to reduce inequality, his warnings about climate change, his appeal that we build bridges, not walls.

Now as you may know, my running mate, Tim, is Catholic and went to Jesuit schools, and one of the things he and I have talked about is this idea from the Jesuits of the Magis, the more, the better. But we need to get better at finding ways to disagree on matters of policy while agreeing on questions of decency and civility. How we talk to each other, treat each other, respect each other.

So I’ve taken this concept of Magis to heart in this campaign, as best as one can in the daily heat, the back and forth of a presidential campaign, to ask how we can do more for each other, and better for each other. Because I believe that for each of us, our greatest monument on this earth won’t be what we build, but the lives we touch.

He spoke but was embarassingly out of depth. He could not get out of his usual incoherent vitriol even if he tried to.

Hillary's speech was far more entertaining and witty than Trump's. As politician, Hillary was better with her words and knows how to use them for
her own benefits as she jab jokes at Trump. She is more classy and subtle in saying the same, "Donald you are
fired!"

Both are either politician or pursuing
political office and some level of scepticism on them is only expected. However,
there is a lesson to be learned by both sides of the political divide here.

In the light of bizarre allegation on 2017 budget, misinformation, and childish unparliamentarian behaviour on Friday, rivaling politicians should be reminded that decency and civility will always win the day.

National leadership will only be for those with the suitable intellect and temperament. Unfortunately, last Friday saw a leader with some level of temperament begin losing it. Yet, still not meet the temperament of a leader on the opposition side.

For all those politicians in Parliament, shower us, the politically fatigue with your fact, intellect and ideas as expressed with eloquence, civility and wit. Save your drama, propaganda and indecencies to the past.

11 comments:

We are the same we win and lose in the game of life...You & IWe seek the truth looking for the signs in the universe...

In this journey... We are companions struglings through life towards ourWay...

Chours

Why should a mother cry...Why should a wife see her husband die...Oooh tell me why do we have to fight...Why don't we try just you and I...Ooh why don't we try...

You & IWe love our land protect our home against any harm...You & IDream of a day when everybody will live in peace...In this journey... We are companions struglings through life towards ourWay...

Chours

Why should a mother cry...Why should a wife see her husband die...Oooh tell me why do we have to fight...Why don't we try just you and I...Ooh why don't we try...

Throughout history so many senseless warsYet we never learn, we're building borders around usBut we still have a chance to heal our wounded worldLet's get rid of hatred and see each other as we really areBefore it's to late, who knows what tomorrow may bringBut without justice there's no way that peace can exist

Chours

Why should a mother cry...Why should a wife see her husband die...Oooh tell me why do we have to fight...Why don't we try just you and I...

Ooh can you tell me why should a mother cry...Why should a wife see her husband die...Ooooh tell me why do we have to fight...Why don't we try just you and I...

Ooh can you tell me why should a mother cry...Why should a wife see her husband die...Ooooh tell me why do we have to fight...Why don't we try just you and I...Why don't we try...

sorry 2 disagree wth u. najib started it all. he knows that 2017 budget is going 2 bite but unfortunately he went 2 far in belittling d opposition who was ready wth their placards.

najib shld not treat d august hse as his own hse. he shld tell d hse d real situation that d country wld hv 2 face in 2017 n do away wth d rubbish in telling stale jokes n running down his opponents.

d whole world n d rakyat know that he is a crook abated by d wife.

no mention at all abt d 1MDB fiasco. however he has found another way of robbing d rakyat by announcing d east coast rail line which is completely unnecessary now.my consultant friend told me that it can b done under rm25 bill. it can b lower if it is single line. this means rm30 bill can b hived off 2 4 1MDB.

being from pekan, I was once his loyal supporter but after knowing his crooked ways I can safely say 'najib u can go 2 hell n pls bring rosmah wth u'.

2:213 Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over the Scripture except those who were given it - after the clear proofs came to them - out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.

32:24 And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.

2:146 Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him (Muhammad) as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it].

5:82 You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah ; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.

5:83 And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, "Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.

(12:40) Those whom you serve beside Him are merely idle names that you and your fathers have fabricated, without Allah sending down any sanction for them. All authority to govern rests only with Allah. He has commanded that you serve none but Him. This is the Right Way of life, though most people are altogether unaware.

9:31 They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah , and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.

(5:70) And We took a covenant from the Children of Israel and sent to them many Messengers. But whenever any Messenger brought to them something that did not suit their desires, they gave the lie to some of them and killed the others,

(5:71) thinking that no harm would come from it. Thus they became blind and deaf (to the Truth). Thereafter Allah turned towards them in gracious forgiveness; but many of them became even more deaf and blind (to the Truth). Allah sees all that they do

(5:72) And surely they disbelieved when they said: 'Christ, the son of Mary, is indeed God'; whereas Christ had said: 'Children of Israel! Serve Allah, Who is your Lord and my Lord.' Allah has forbidden Paradise to those who associate anything with Him in His divinity and their refuge shall be the Fire. No one will be able to help such wrong-doers;

(5:73) Those who said: 'Allah is one of the Three', certainly they disbelieved, for there is no god save the One God. And if they do not give up this claim, all who have disbelieved among them shall be subjected to painful chastisement.

3:42 And [mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.

3:43 O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer]."

3:44 That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.

3:45 [And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah ].

3:46 He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous."

3:47 She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allah ; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.

3:48 And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel

3:49 And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah . And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah . And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.

3:50 And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me.

3:51 Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path."

"Islam is not about being physically visible. As Muslims living in the West, we need to have an intellectual and spiritual visibility. This is not about political activism; many of us are agitated, they are not activists. There is no vision, no center, no spiritual axes that we need. Being intellectually contributing to the future of our society is the very meaning of “La illaha il Allah.” It is where true freedom starts.At the end of the day, it is about being human beings, it is about following the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ: being with Allah, serving Him, and doing the best for the people living in our country, be it the oppressed, the marginalised, women, or our own children.”A Quote By Tariq Ramadan

(2:87) Surely We gave Moses the Scripture and caused a train of Messengers to follow him and then sent Jesus, the son of Mary, with Clear Proofs and supported him with the spirit of holiness. 93 But is it not true that every time a Messenger brought to you something that was not to your liking, you acted arrogantly: you called some Messengers liars and killed others?

(2:88) They say: “Our hearts are well-protected.”94 No! The fact is that Allah has cursed them because of their denying the Truth. So, scarcely do they believe.

(2:89) And now that there has come to them a Book from Allah, how are they treating it? Even though it confirms the Truth already in their possession, and even though they had prayed for victory against the unbelievers, and yet when that Book came to them – and they recognized it – they refused to acknowledge its Truth.95 Allah’s curse be upon the unbelievers.

(2:90) Evil indeed is what they console themselves with.96 They deny the guidance revealed by Allah, grudging that He chose to bestow His gracious bounty (of revelation and prophethood) on some of His servants whom He willed.97 Thus they have brought on themselves wrath after wrath, and a humiliating chastisement is in store for such unbelievers.

(2:91) When they are told: “Believe in what Allah has revealed,” they say: “We believe only in what was revealed to us (Israel).” They deny everything else even though it be the Truth which confirms what they possess. Say (to them): “If indeed you are believers, why is it that in the past you killed the Prophets of Allah (who were from Israel)?”

(2:92) Moses came to you with clear proofs and yet you were so wont to wrong-doing that as soon as he was gone you took to worshipping the calf.